DHS Proposes $70,000 Fee on Foreign Student Work Program

WASHINGTON, The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday proposed requiring U.S. colleges and universities to pay fees of up to $70,000 per international student before those students can receive work authorization through a program that has long served as a bridge between campus and the American job market.

The agency published the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Oct. 7, targeting Optional Practical Training, a temporary employment authorization tied to an F-1 student's field of study. <cite index="19-1,19-2">DHS said the proposed rule, if finalized, would implement a $70,000 fee per F-1 student for initial OPT participation and a $30,000 fee for any subsequent OPT.</cite>

<cite index="22-7,22-8">Under the proposal, the fees would be paid by schools certified through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, rather than directly by students or employers. The proposed regulation would not restrict how schools finance the fees, leaving open the possibility that institutions could seek reimbursement from students, employers, or outside entities.</cite>

<cite index="21-5">The proposed rule is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on Oct. 8, 2026, and DHS will accept public comments for 30 days.</cite> The agency must then review those comments before deciding whether to publish a final rule. <cite index="24-2">If finalized in its current form, the new charges would begin 60 days after publication of the final regulation.</cite>

<cite index="26-6">DHS said the Student and Exchange Visitor Program has found schools, school officials, employers, and students exploiting OPT rules as participation in the program has grown, including questionable worksites and "pay-to-stay" visa schemes.</cite>

<cite index="26-8">Students currently pay the employment-authorization filing fee themselves, about $470 online or $520 on paper</cite>, a fraction of what schools would owe under the proposal.

<cite index="24-8">The $30,000 subsequent fee includes the additional 24-month extension available to qualifying graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.</cite>

<cite index="26-11,26-12">Participating certified schools would have to pay before a school official recommends a student in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System and before the student applies to USCIS. The agency would not approve work authorization if the school had not paid.</cite>

Critics moved quickly. Doug Rand, director of the Talent Mobility group, said in a statement reported by WFMD News that <cite index="23-2">"DHS has no authority to slap a $70k fee on international students."</cite>

<cite index="20-3,20-4">DHS said the proposed charges were intended to combat fraud, encourage universities to scrutinize applications more closely, and protect American workers. Nearly 20 pages of the proposal discuss the view that OPT has become vulnerable to fraud and has harmed U.S. workers.</cite>

The proposal lands alongside a broader series of executive actions on immigration. <cite index="26-9">The rule would follow recent executive orders and other presidential directives on protecting American workers and the integrity of employment-based immigration programs.</cite>

The OPT program has operated since the 1990s. <cite index="25-6,25-7">It allows F-1 international students to work temporarily in jobs related to their fields of study after completing their academic programs. Eligible STEM graduates can receive an additional two years of employment authorization.</cite>

<cite index="25-11">The proposed fees could significantly increase the cost of hiring international graduates and may affect colleges, universities, and employers that rely on the OPT program.</cite> University associations did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Sources cited:
- DHS Press Release (https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/10/07/dhs-proposes-fees-foreign-student-work-program-protect-american-jobs)
- Erickson Immigration Group (JDSupra) (https://eiglaw.com/dhs-proposes-70000-opt-fee-and-30000-stem-opt-fee-for-international-students/)
- YourNews (https://yournews.com/2026/10/08/7219170/dhs-proposes-70000-opt-fee-for-international-student-work-program/)
- Florida Voice News (https://flvoicenews.com/dhs-proposes-70000-fee-on-foreign-student-work-program-to-protect-american-jobs/)
- Newsweek (https://www.newsweek.com/trump-admin-proposes-70000-fee-for-foreign-graduates-to-work-in-us-12535404)
- WFMD / Fox News (https://www.wfmd.com/2026/10/07/dhs-proposes-massive-70k-fee-for-foreign-students-seeking-work-authorization/)